News is the most influential form of public information in the world, and most of it is printed and broadcast by just a few major news agencies. These include the Associated Press in the United States, Reuters in Great Britain, and Agence France-Presse in France. These agencies have the resources and ability to send reporters around the globe and deliver the news almost immediately.
While the content of news may vary from one society to the next, the basic elements are the same. News is largely about people. Even non-human sources of information can contribute to news stories. However, reporters have to ensure that the focus of their stories is on people, rather than on something else. For instance, the story of a celebrity’s divorce or death may be a newsworthy story in a different society.
Other forms of news are entertainment and sex stories. The entertainment stories often involve celebrities. They can also feature human interest and animal stories. The stories may be witty or include humor. Entertainment stories may feature a sensational element such as a funny headline. Drama stories are often the result of ongoing events or are follow-ups of subjects already in the news. Power elite stories focus on powerful individuals or groups that are influential to the audience.
Researchers can also examine the value of news by studying published outputs. The results of such studies can help in testing scholarly explanations of what constitutes news.